Chickpeas are one of the most important pulses in the world. They grow in southern Italy, or anywhere without frost. An ancient pulse that originated in the Near East, the chickpea is easy to grow, high in protein, and has become part of the ‘cibo di povero’ of many countries.
Chickpeas are harvested in the late summer and dried for use from autumn through to spring. The best chickpeas to buy are always the new season’s. In Italy, they sell two or three different sizes of chickpea. We choose the largest, to cook whole, to include in soups or to eat on their own with extra virgin olive oil and fresh chilli. The smaller chickpeas are ground into flour and used to make Farinata and Panisse, the Ligurian street food specialities.
Soak chickpeas for 48 hours before cooking. Add a large peeled potato, a whole tomato, a couple of fresh chillies, some garlic cloves and a green celery stalk to the cooking water. Never add salt. The starch from the potato will help soften the skins of the chickpeas as they cook. New season’s will take up to 1½ hours; older chickpeas can take up to 4 hours, and may not be worth it even then! If the skins seem to be tough, allow the chickpeas to cool in their cooking liquid, then rub them within the palms of your hand. The skins should flake off and float. Skim and discard. Only add salt after cooking. Keep in their cooking liquid when storing.
Tinned chickpeas are usually good, but we always rinse off the liquid before use.